Worlds Apart
by sail-on-forever
Summary: A voyage on a cruise was meant for Carol to finally relax after her divorce from Ed. A storm arrives and the cruise sinks, forcing Carol and Sailor Daryl to be stuck on a lifeboat together. Join them as they battle sharks, dehydration and their own feelings for each other. Caryl, AU.
1. Chapter 1: Intertwined fate

**Hey there, thank you for visiting this story! This is my first AU fic, so I would really appreciate any feedback on my writing and the plot. Read on and tell me about how you feel when you're done.**

Carol settled into the armchair comfortably, fingering the book lying on her lap. She wondered how Sophia was doing back home; it was barely a few hours since she had kissed Sophia goodbye, but she was already missing her precious daughter. Sophia was staying with Glenn and Maggie for a week, while Carol took the time off to recharge herself. The past year had been filled with ugly lawsuits for her divorce from Ed, but she was glad that she had finally won the custody of her daughter.

Maggie, her neighbor and close friend, had convinced Carol to leave Sophia in her and her husband's hands for a week, so Carol could have some time for herself. Carol had reluctantly agreed after Maggie had practically begged her to go on a holiday. Carol smiled, truly touched by how kind and caring her friend had been throughout the ordeal. In fact, it was Maggie who had contacted a lawyer friend of hers for Carol's first lawsuit. Turning open the book, Carol sighed, glad that her life was finally turning for the better.

'Oh fuck.' A coarse voice growled and Carol looked up from her book.

A man dressed in an orange jumpsuit looked apologetic as a waitress mopped up a spilt drink on the floor. 'Sorry.' The man mumbled, as the waitress shot him a dirty look. Carol giggled softly, amused by the scene happening in front of her. The man's head jerked up to look at Carol, his eyebrows furrowing. Blushing, Carol averted her eyes as the rough man walked away hurriedly.

* * *

Daryl grumbled under his breath as he walked past a family wearing their swimsuits. He avoided their eyes, choosing instead to focus and stare at the carpeted floor. He knew he looked like a fool, dressed in this stupid work jumpsuit at all. If the issue hadn't been so pressing, he would have just stayed in the boiler room and kept to himself. He had already embarrassed himself in front of a passenger when he had accidentally bumped into a waitress and spilt her drinks. Daryl blushed as he recalled the passenger's girly laugh and condescending look. All passengers aboard 'The Cherokee Rose' were the same; they were rich, elite and disgustingly stuck-up. That's why he hated being on the deck with his dirty clothes; he much preferred the comfort of the machines and engines down in the boiler room. You could say that Daryl Dixon wasn't much of a people person.

Daryl arrived at the captain's cabin and knocked on the door. He heard some shuffling before Captain Philip opened the door, naked except for a towel wrapped around his hips.

'What is it you want, Daryl?' he asked, taking a puff from his cigarette, visibly annoyed at being disturbed.

'I noticed yer not takin' the usual route.' Daryl stated, unperturbed by the Captain's attitude.

'Well, thank you for stating the obvious, Daryl.' Philip drawled, blowing smoke into Daryl's face. 'But let's be mindful about who's the captain here.'

Daryl clenched his fists, anger flowing through his veins. He took in a ragged breath, trying to control his rage.

'Yer can't always trust the GPS, ya lazy piece of shit. You should be up there workin', instead of being down here fuckin' every tramp yer find!' Daryl shouted, raising his fist.

'Daryl, you don't have to get angry just because you can't get any pussy!' Philip chuckled at his own joke, seemingly unaware of Daryl's seriousness.

'Now I know you've been working here since you were a teeny-weeny boy, but that doesn't mean you're the boss.' Philip jabbed Daryl's chest lightly. 'You're just a fucking technician here, mah boy. So fucking learn how to stay in your fucking place.' Philip smirked and slammed the door in Daryl's face.

'Fuck you!' Daryl growled, kicking the door.

Philip was a lazy motherfucker who only became the captain of the cruise through boot-licking. The day before, Daryl had noticed the cruise wasn't sailing the route it normally took. When he inquired the other staff, he found out that the captain had left all his responsibilities to the newly-hired first mate. He had simply told his second in command to follow the GPS. Daryl knew that the GPS was rather trustworthy in this age and time, but it simply couldn't compare to the sharp eyes of the captain. Daryl gave one last hard kick to the door before turning away.

* * *

Carol put the book aside and stretched, cracking her joints and massaging her stiff muscles. She had read online that there was a cinema on the cruise and she was interested in watching a movie before lunch. Looking through the directory, Carol located the cinema and headed toward it. She was surprised to find the theater so empty. 'I guess no one watches movies so early in the day.' Carol shrugged, settling into a seat in the back row. It felt strangely relaxing to be the only one in the theater.

* * *

Daryl entered the dark cinema, scanning for his seat. His shift was over and he was looking for some ways to relax. The cinema was one of his favorite places in the cruise. He knew that it was always empty in the morning because most passengers were still sleeping, eating breakfast or relaxing by the pool. Daryl almost jumped out his skin when he realized he wasn't alone. A petite woman with a pixie haircut was sitting at his seat. He sighed heavily, causing the poor woman to jump in her seat and turn in his direction. He realized two things at once.

One, she was the passenger who had laughed at him before.

Two, she had the most beautiful ocean-blue eyes he had ever seen in his life.

**This is chapter 1, how was it? I will continue updating this story, but the updates might not be very regular because of school and work. I really look forward to seeing your comments and suggestions, so please spare some time to tell me how you feel about the story so far.**

**Until next time…**


	2. Chapter 2: Opposites attract

**Hello and welcome to chapter 2. Thank you for all your kind favorites, follows and reviews. I am so sorry for the formatting in the last chapter. I have made the necessary adjustments, so I hope that it's okay now. Feel free to leave a review once you're done with this chapter, it will be greatly appreciated!**

"Oh my god, I didn't see you there, you scared me!" Carol placed a hand over her chest, grinning widely at Daryl.

Daryl frowned, "Err…hmm…yeah." He replied awkwardly, rubbing his neck. He was totally lost when it came to small talk.

"You know, they're screening "When Harry met Sally" today. I absolutely adored it as a teenager; it was my favorite movie of all time." Carol gushed, as the lights dimmed. "Oooh hurry up and sit, the movie's starting!" Carol gestured wildly for Daryl to sit beside her.

Daryl grimaced, he had wanted to escape the theater, but it looked like there was no way out now. He shuffled to sit beside Carol, slumping down into the seat.

"I'm Carol." Carol extended her hand. Daryl looked lost for a moment before raising his hand to shake hers. "Umm…Hi, I'm Daryl."

Carol smiled warmly at him before turning her head to face the screen expectantly.

Daryl shook his head subtly; this woman was a weird one.

* * *

"Well, maybe I made it a bit too awkward for him." Carol thought as she felt Daryl stiffen when their shoulders brush. Carol had figured that since she was no longer under Ed Peletier's control, it was time for her to take charge of her life. Her first role as Carol Anne Ryan was to become a better, nicer and friendlier person.

Unfortunately, her first attempt at being friendly hadn't been going too well. Her 'victim' was the poor man sitting beside her and Carol didn't know whether to laugh or cry that he was so uncomfortable around her. She recognized him as the worker who had bumped into the waitress earlier in the day. Maybe he just wasn't used to strangers talking to him unexpectedly. Carol shrugged her shoulders and turned her thoughts back to the movie.

* * *

The first thought Daryl had when he sat down was that Carol smelt really nice. Immediately after, he mentally slapped himself for having such wrong thoughts. Carol smelt like soap and warmth and sunshine and home and…Daryl mentally punched himself in the gut this time. He could hear Merle laughing and sneering at him, calling him a faggot. Daryl rolled his eyes; even when alone, he couldn't escape his big brother. Merle was probably down in his bunk getting high or fucking one of those young waitresses in the maintenance room. Daryl sighed; he probably had to work overtime for his brother again.

* * *

The lights turned on and Carol stood up, rolling her neck and cracking her back. "That brought back such fond memories." She commented, looking down at Daryl. He had fallen asleep and his head lolled on the armrest. She tapped his shoulder gently and he woke up with a start.

"Whaaa..Whaaa..t?" he mumbled, shielding his eyes from the lights.

"The movie's ended, you sleepyhead." Carol giggled. "How did you manage to sleep through such a great movie?"

"Seen it at least a hundred times, they play it every fuckin' day." Daryl stood up clumsily, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, how long have you been working on board 'The Cherokee Rose'?" Carol inquired, picking up her handbag.

"Since I was a kid. Been livin' on board this babe mah whole life." Daryl staggered toward the exit, still not fully awake.

"Wow, that must be fun!" Carol gasped, trying to catch up with Daryl.

"Yeah..totally." Daryl replied almost sardonically, stopping to face her.

"You know, I'm going for lunch now. Wanna join me?" Carol tilted her head, waiting for Daryl's reply.

"Erm…well I…I have work to do…so…" Daryl blushed a deep red.

"I understand. Nice to meet you, Daryl." Carol offered him a small smile. Daryl gave her a half-smile. (And mind you, it wasn't common for a Dixon to grace you with his smile.)

* * *

Carol leaned nearer to the mirror as she put on an ear ring. She was dressed in a strapless black cocktail dress and had even put on some make up. The dinner was about to start in fifteen minutes and she was running a bit late. Combing her short hair quickly, Carol stopped to look at herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but feel a little proud of how she looked. It had been years since she had dressed up. The dress hugged her tightly in all the right places and Carol hadn't felt this confident about herself in years.

* * *

The chattering got louder as Carol approached the dining hall. Looking around, Carol located a seat beside a lovely-looking couple.

"Mind if I sit here?" Carol inquired, pointing to the empty seat.

"Oh no, not at all!" the man replied, standing up to pull out the chair for Carol.

"Thank you. Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Carol." Carol extended her hand for the second time that day.

"I'm Rick Grimes and this is my wife, Lori." The handsome man shook her hand firmly and his wife smiled kindly at Carol.

"This is really a beautiful ship, isn't it? I love the facilities here and the staff is so professional and friendly!" Lori commented and the two women begin to discuss about the quality of service and food on the cruise.

Though Lori was a fantastic person, Carol couldn't help but feel that she was a bit of a bore. As Carol's eyes wandered off into the distance, she found Daryl balancing dangerously on a ladder, fixing a flickering bulb. And as though he could feel her eyes boring into his back, he turned his head to look at her.

**I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! The real action will begin in the next chapter. Please comment and tell me what you think about this chapter, thank you!**

**Until next time…**


	3. Chapter 3: SOS

**Hey there, welcome to chapter 3. This is the chapter where the action begins and I hope that you're excited (Because I am). Once again, thank you for your favorites, follows and reviews. Please continue to support this story by spending some time reviewing it. All comments are and will be appreciated. Now, sit back, relax and enjoy this chapter. **

Carol beamed unconsciously, her eyes lighting up, as she gave Daryl a small wave. Daryl nodded, acknowledging her, before turning back to the task at hand. She was beautiful, she really was. Daryl resisted the urge to turn back and sneak a peek at her; he refused to do anything so despicable. He bit down hard on his cheek until he tasted blood. What the fuck was wrong with him? He had barely known this woman for a few hours and now he was checking her out? He was as bad as Merle! Unscrewing the light bulb, he tried to draw his thoughts away from the lady just sitting a few meters away from him.

* * *

The ship jerked sharply and the silverware on the tables clattered loudly as they hit the floor. There was a stunned silence for a moment before a blaring alarm broke the tension. Mass paranoia overtook the dining hall, as diners shoved each other away to escape the hall.

Carol stood up, shocked from what was happening. She was in a daze as she followed the panicking crowd toward the deck.

"All passengers please stay calm. I repeat, all passengers please stay calm. Head to the deck immediately. I repeat, head to the deck immediately. All crew, please ensure that order is maintained and start unloading the lifeboats." A voice that was anything but calm blasted over the AV system.

The crowd grew even more boisterous, as grown men and women who had been so polite and cultured a few minutes ago pushed and shoved selfishly to get to the front. Carol winced in pain as a burly man pushed her to the side. She felt her foot slip and then she was falling face-first toward the ground. A strong pair of arms gripped her waist, pulling her straight up. "Daryl?" Carol looked up into her savior's eyes. "Y'alright?" he released his tight grip on her waist, grabbing her by her arm. Carol nodded meekly and then Daryl started running, pulling her along, as he headed straight toward the opposite direction.

* * *

The storm outside was raging strong and hard; the heavy rain stung their faces and blurred their vision. A few times Daryl had to pull Carol upright, as she lost her footing on the slippery floor. "Daryl, aren't the lifeboats on the deck?" Carol panted, trying hard to catch up with Daryl, who was almost dragging her along. Daryl snorted, turning around to face her. "Y'ain't gonna get a fuckin' lifeboat in this chaos. My brother and I have a lifeboat at the stern." He replied, brushing away the hair sticking to his forehead.

* * *

"Hurry up, get in there!" Daryl shouted over the howling wind, as he loosened the ropes holding the lifeboat as quickly as he could. The ship jerked to the left and Carol gripped Daryl's forearm tightly, fingernails digging into his skin.

"What about you?" She asked timidly, as Daryl pulled his arm away from her, shooting her a dark look.

"Gonna find my bro first, ain't leaving without him. You stay close to the ship, I'll be back." Carol carefully entered the lifeboat as Daryl started to lower the lifeboat into the churning sea.

"Come back soon!" She pleaded, clutching his hand. Her face was wet with the rain and her tears. He removed her hand from hers hurriedly, nodding at her.

"Stay safe." He whispered, before the wind snatched the rest of his voice away.

* * *

"Fuck you Merle Dixon, where the fuck are you?" Daryl shouted, waist deep in the freezing water. He had gone back to his bunk, worried that his brother was too high on cocaine to know what was happening.

"Where the fuck are you, you son of a bitch!" Daryl waded through the empty corridors, desperate to catch a glimpse of his brother. But Merle Dixon was not anywhere to be found. Daryl felt his heart pounding against his chest so quickly, he was afraid it would stop.

"Fuck it Merle, stop hidin'! Come the fuck out, you stupid cunt!" Daryl screamed, a mixture of sweat, tears and seawater running down his face.

The water level was almost at his chest level already and it was rising fast. He knew he could not stay in the cruise any longer. He felt as though his heart was in his throat and he felt like puking. Struggling to leave the cruise, he jogged back to the stern; his only hope was that Merle was already there, waiting for him.

* * *

Carol could not stop her body from shaking as she started coughing. Tears were flowing down her face so quickly and she suddenly felt so damn helpless. It had just hit her how much danger she was in and her only thoughts were on Sophia. She wanted, no, she needed to survive for her daughter. The strong wind and currents had pushed her slightly away from the stern and as hard as she tried to paddle back, her arms were no match to the mighty ocean. She kept her eyes on the sinking ship, praying that Daryl and his brother would come back soon, before it was too late and she was too far.

* * *

He was running so fast, he felt like he was just sliding across the wet floor. His lungs were on fire, while his skin was unnaturally cold.

"MERLE!" He screamed when he reached the stern, but his brother was nowhere in sight. He collapsed his weight on the railing, looking down into the deep, black ocean. He couldn't locate Carol in the absolute darkness. He gasped as he felt sobs overtake him; he was utterly exhausted and hopeless.

The sky thundered and the ship jerked violently. Daryl found his lifeless body being flung into the air. Gravity took hold of him, and he was falling, falling, falling. He whacked his crown against the ship and he disappeared into unconsciousness as the sea gobbled him up greedily.

**I hope you liked this episode. Please leave a comment to tell me how you feel about this particular chapter. Thank you!**

**Until next time…**


	4. Chapter 4: On the edge

**Hello to both old and new readers, welcome to chapter 4. This will be an intense chapter and I hope you all are prepared! I really want to take this time to thank each and every one of you for favoriting, following and reviewing this story. It is indeed very encouraging to see people acknowledging your writing. Do continue to support this story by reviewing it. I promise to keep writing if you keep reading. Now, on to chapter 4…**

Carol kept her eyes on the stern of the sinking ship, but it was getting harder and harder to see what was going on. She nervously turned away from the ship, to rummage through the waterproof survival kit on the lifeboat. To her utmost relief, she managed to find a small flashlight. Pointing it at the stern, it offered a ridiculously weak glow, but it was still better than nothing. She watched in horror, with her mouth agape, as a figure dropped over the railing, heading straight toward the water. The figure disappeared into the black sea for a second, before reemerging with its head in the water. Without thinking, Carol grabbed the life preserver on board and dived into the water.

It was cold, so damn cold that it robbed all the heat from your body. Carol kept the flashlight between her chattering teeth, as she swam in the general direction of the figure. Carol used to be in her high school swim team, so she would consider herself a strong swimmer. But the calm swimming pool was absolutely nothing compared to the churning, dangerous sea. For every meter Carol pulled herself forward, the angry waves pushed her back by half a meter. The salty water sprayed right into her eyes and she was practically rendered blind, as she continued pushing forward.

* * *

She finally got to the lifeless man in the water. Fortunately for the man, his arm hung against a floating suitcase, preventing him from sinking. Grabbing the man's shirt, Carol took a deep breath before starting to swim back to the raft. With an added burden, the journey back was almost twice as tough. With the flashlight, Carol located the lifeboat and head straight toward it. "1, 2, 1 ,2…" She chanted in her mind, trying to distract herself from her exhaustion. A couple of times the man's shirt slipped from her fingers and she had to turn back to grab it.

* * *

An unusually tall wave hit Carol's face as she came up to take a breath. She swallowed a mouthful of disgustingly salty water, coughing fitfully, trying to tread water in the violent sea. Staring ahead, she estimated that she was only around 5m from the raft. With all her remaining strength, she paddled toward the lifeboat. Her muscles were shaking from the strain and her lungs were on fire. Grabbing the edge of the lifeboat, Carol held on to the man to try to turn him into the raft. Using her body's momentum, she swung the man's body into the lifeboat first, before tumbling in a moment later.

Carol stayed still on her back, trying to catch her breath. The rain poured down on her, as she licked away the salt from her lips. Sitting up, she forced herself to check on the unconscious man. Turning his body around, she sucked in a breath as she realized that the man was in fact Daryl. His lips were purple, almost turning blue and his chest was not moving at all. Pushing all helpless thoughts to the back of her mind, Carol's nursing training took over her body.

* * *

"ABC. Airway, breathing, circulation." Carol tilted Daryl's head and water poured out of his mouth, as she cleared his airway.

Placing her head on his chest again, she realized that he was still not breathing. She blinked back her tears, as she tried to compose herself. Pinching Daryl's nose, she covered his mouth with her, giving him two quick breaths. It was as though it was a breath of life, as Daryl opened his eyes widely, sputtering out the rest of the water in his throat, before passing out once more.

Carol broke down in relief, as tears consumed her. She looked down at herself and laughed without humor. She was dressed in the stupid cocktail dress like an idiot. Taking out a towel from the survival kit, Carol wiped the covered part of the lifeboat as dry as possible, before dragging Daryl's freezing body into the shade from the rain. Daryl's lips were still blue and he was shivering badly. Carol remembered a course on hypothermia she had attended when she was still a nursing student and she knew what has to be done, has to be done.

* * *

Stripping Daryl down to his underwear, Carol cringed as she saw the scars and marks on his back and chest. She removed his boots, revealing his unnaturally white feet. Carol dried him as best as she could, before undressing herself to her bra and panties. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that what she was doing was only to save Daryl's life. Placing a dry towel over their bodies, Carol hissed as her warm body touched his damp, freezing skin. Carol hugged Daryl into her embrace, keeping his head in the crook of her neck, while she rested her chin on his head. She rubbed circles into his back, whispering comforting words to him, even though she was sure he could not hear her. She tried to keep her eyes open, but the exhaustion that she had tried keep at bay soon overwhelmed her. She nodded off while holding Daryl tightly against her, as the lifeboat rocked dangerously into the horizon.

**That was chapter 4. How was it? Did you like it? Please continue to support this story. The next update might not be so soon, as work in real life is piling up fast. Once again, thank you for reading this story, remember to review!**

**Until next time…**


	5. Chapter 5: Heartbeats

**Hey there, welcome to chapter 5! Thank you for your patience, I know it has been some time since I've uploaded a chapter. I am not very happy with the last chapter, because I was rather tired (from work and school) when I wrote it and I feel that it is not up to what I expect of my writing. I will find the time to revise it, but for now, I am presenting to all of you Chapter 5. Thank you for all your support, please continue to help me improve my writing by reviewing this chapter. Now, on to chapter 5…**

"What the flyin' fuck?!" Daryl shouted in surprise, tearing his sticky, sweat-covered body away from Carol's arms. Their skins peeled apart audibly and Daryl cringed. Immediately after, he covered his torso with his arms, protecting his ugly, scarred body from Carol's eyes.

"Hmmm…huh…what…Sophia?" Carol opened her eyes briefly, before squeezing them shut again. She waved her hands in front of her face clumsily, as she tried to protect her eyes from the bright sun.

Daryl turned his body away from Carol, as he found his shirt at the corner of the raft. He scrambled to put his clothing on, not giving a fuck that it was still a little damp.

"The fuck happened? Why the fuck are we…naked?" Daryl felt his cheeks burn as he shook Carol gently.

Daryl froze suddenly. "Merle. Shit. Merle. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Woman, fuckin' wake up!" Daryl splashed some water onto Carol. Carol sputtered and coughed, squinting at Daryl. Daryl looked around frantically, as though he expected Merle to suddenly appear out of the water.

"What the hell?" Carol wiped the cold, salty water from her face, glaring furiously at the man towering over her. Her whole body ached and all she wanted to do was go right back to sleep. Daryl gulped visibly, looking away.

"Er…what happened?" He asked again, this time in a slightly calmer voice. "Where's my brother?"

"Give me a moment." Carol rubbed her red-rimmed eyes and sat upright, massaging her temple as she struggled to comprehend the jumbled mess in her heavy head. She felt like she had a hangover.

"Oh…" Carol looked up to Daryl with a certain guilty look in her eyes. "I'm sorry; I didn't see your brother." She touched his forearm gently, comforting him.

"But…but I fuckin' went to find him!" Daryl stood up suddenly, causing the lifeboat to tilt sharply to the left. Carol gave a sharp yelp, gripping the towel on her lap tightly. Daryl ignored Carol's worried look as he searched furtively across the horizon, but of course, 'The Cherokee Rose' was nowhere in sight.

Daryl fell to his knees, as his legs gave way. "I tried to find him…I fuckin' swear, I swear." He whispered, unsure if he was directing the statement to Carol or to himself. "I know. I saw you fall from the stern. It's not your fault, Daryl." Carol placed her hand on his shoulder, as the first tear rolled down his cheek, down onto his lips.

Daryl wiped the tears away from his eyes roughly, turning to the small woman next to him. "Stop fuckin' acting like you know, you stupid bitch! Shouldn't have fuckin' saved you, you ain't my problem!" Daryl shouted into Carol's face, their faces a mere few inches apart.

Carol bit on her lower lip, watching the man collapse, hiding his face into his hands. Soft but violent sobs escaped from the tough man, as his shoulders shook. He rushed to the edge of the lifeboat, vomiting a vile yellow liquid. His stomach was already empty from the lack of food. He retched a few more times, before crumbling down again, back against the edge of the raft.

Carol approached him quietly, with a bottle of water she had found in the survival kit. Pouring a few precious drops of water onto a towel, Carol set the bottle beside him and wiped his mouth carefully. "I couldn't find him…I swear." Daryl's eyes were set in the far distance; he was completely dissociated from reality.

"I know, I know." Carol dabbed his forehead with the cool cloth, wiping away his sweat. "You did your best."

"I left Merle. I shoulda died with him…but I left Merle." Tears mixed with the mucus on Daryl's face, as his face contorted into a miserable expression. "I left him."

"I'm so sorry." Carol's voice broke as she drew Daryl into her arms. It was heart-breaking to see a strong, tough man break down like that. She stroked Daryl's nape, like how she did it with Sophia when she was ill with stomach flu. "I'm so sorry." Carol whispered into his ears, as Daryl continued to be unresponsive.

Releasing the sobbing man, Carol got up to check on the supplies they had. With Daryl being emotionally unstable, Carol knew that she had to work twice as hard to keep both of them alive. Sitting beside Daryl, Carol poured out the contents of the survival kit.

"6 bottles of water, 12 energy bars, 1 flashlight, 3 towels, a binoculars, a mirror, 2 boxes of matches, a compass, a first aid kit, 3 flares, a swiss army knife, dental floss, a whistle and…condoms?!" Carol raised her eyebrow. That was definitely unexpected, but in any case, she knew that they needed to start rationing their food. She had noticed that there seem to be a water collecting system, but she had no idea how to set it up. Carol packed their stocks neatly in one corner and wiped the floor dry. She settled down beside Daryl and she finally realized how much skin she was showing. Glancing at the wet mound of black fabric at the corner, Carol shook her head. It would be silly for her to put on a dress.

"I…I can set up the water collector." A deep, rough voice startled Carol. Carol nodded as Daryl got up from his position, putting together the water collecting system. He seemed normal for now, but Carol knew that he was still grieving.

"Pray that it rains. 6 bottles of water ain't gonna last long." He turned to look at Carol.

Carol nodded, "Erm Daryl….What's the condoms for?" She asked curiously, albeit a little shyly, pointing to the packs at the corner.

Daryl could not help but let out a small laugh. "Fuckin' pervert. They're for storing water, they can hold several gallons."

"Oh…" Carol blushed, totally embarrassed. She recovered quickly and teased back, "God, good. I thought you had something kinky going on."

Daryl snorted, "Fuckin' woman."

**Hmmm…I really had fun writing this. I know many of you expected a romantic scene when they wake up naked, but I decided against it, as I felt that it would be more awkward than romantic, with them being strangers and all. Furthermore, I had to add in the Merle factor and I did not want to have a romantic scene and a heart-breaking scene in one chapter. Thank you for reading this chapter. Tell me about how you feel about it. **

**Until next time…**


	6. Chapter 6: Lifesaver

**Hello, welcome to chapter 6! Thank you for your kind reviews for the previous chapter, I'm glad that you like how it went. Now that things have generally settled down, and Daryl is much calmer, it is finally time for the two people to explore their relationship. Do tell me how you feel about this chapter when you're done, I will really appreciate it! Now, on to chapter 6…**

Daryl turned his eyes to the woman squirming beside him. "What?" He asked, connecting the last segment of the water collector. He let out a satisfied sigh, cracking his aching back. He had been at it for almost half the morning. "I kinda…need to pee." Carol answered shyly, squeezing her legs together.

"Then do it!"

"Huh, where?"

"The sea!"

"What? Oh."

Carol stood up, adjusting her bra strap bashfully. "Erm…do you mind looking away?"

The tips of Daryl's ears turned red and he grunted quickly. Carol slid out of her panties and lowered herself into the water. She let out a breathy gasp as the freezing water touched her tummy. Daryl turned around, his worried blue eyes immediately searching for her. He caught a glimpse of her lacey panties on the floor and he blushed, looking down at once.

"I'm okay, I'm okay…the water's just really cold." Carol smiled, licking her lips. She was thirsty, but she knew how little water they had, and she did not want to waste it on herself.

Daryl nodded quickly and turned back to fiddle with the water collector. Damn it, that woman was driving him completely crazy. It was not because Daryl had never seen a scantily clad woman, hell, living on a cruise meant witnessing women walking around only in their swimsuits or bikinis. It was the fucking fact that they were so close together and the annoyingly cute fact that Carol was totally oblivious to what she was doing to him. Cute? Daryl knocked his head against the board of the lifeboat, what the fuck was wrong with him today?

"I'm done!" Carol wiped her legs with a dry towel. Daryl gulped as his wide eyes followed a water droplet down her slender neck into her cleavage.

"You're done with the water collector?" Carol inquired, bending down beside him.

"Yeah…best pray for rain. Want some water?" He averted his eyes from her chest, turning around to grab a bottle of water.

She shook her head a little too quickly, causing him to raise one eyebrow. He opened the bottle, extending his arm for her to grab it.

"I'm alright…but your lips are really dry." Carol lightly brushed her fingers over his lips. His breath hitched in his throat, and the bottle wobbled in his hand. "Take it." he managed to croak out, pushing the bottle into Carol's hand.

Carol took a tiny sip, moaning as the sweet water slid down her dry throat. Daryl kept his eyes away from her, for fear of doing something stupid.

"Here, you've some too." Daryl took the bottle from Carol. "Aren't you feeling hot in your jumpsuit?" She asked, rolling the thick fabric between her fingers. Daryl shrugged. He was feeling the heat, of course, but he would rather keep it on than show her his scars.

"We share one bottle of water every day. They'll last for around a week." Daryl offered half an energy bar to Carol.

"After that?" Carol sunk her teeth into the bar, picking up any crumbs that had landed on her legs.

"Well…there are other…less desirable ways to get water." Daryl drummed his fingers on the bottle lying beside him.

"You mean pee?" Daryl chuckled, giving Carol a grin. She thought the smile really brightened up his face, and she liked it. "If things get really bad, yeah. We should start collectin' dew in the morning." Daryl stuffed the rest of the energy bar into his mouth.

Carol sat in the shade, pulling her legs close to her body. "I miss home." She whispered to no one in general.

"We're gonna be just fine." Daryl answered, scanning the horizon with the binoculars. He stopped suddenly, fixing his eyes on one point. "We got a suitcase there, I'm gonna swim to get it." He pointed in a direction. He unzipped his jumpsuit, diving into the sea.

Carol's eyes followed the man's figure, afraid that she will lose him again. Her eyes widened as he sliced through the water gracefully, his muscular arms glistening in the afternoon sun. Shit, there was a sex god with her all along and she did not realize it till now. She let out an involuntary sigh as Daryl grabbed the suitcase. His messy, wet hair was stuck to his forehead and he ran his long fingers through it lazily before diving back into the sea. Carol frowned; she was acting like a hormonal teenager.

Daryl flung the suitcase into the lifeboat before climbing in. Carol passed him a dry towel and he hurriedly covered his torso. Opening the suitcase, Carol squealed. Daryl bent down, eager to see what treasure she had found. "Tampons!" Carol cried, thanking the heavens for solving one of her problems. Daryl leaned away, he was fucking confused.

"Thank goodness, I can finally get dressed." Carol took out a red tank top and a pair of sports shorts. "Hey look, you can wear these! It won't be so hot." She handed Daryl a sleeveless shirt and a pair cargo pants.

"You swim real well." Carol commented as Daryl wormed into the slightly tight shirt. It fitted him snugly and Carol could not help but sneak a few glances.

"Nah, been livin' on the sea mah whole life, if I can't swim, I would be dead by now." He squatted down beside Carol, chewing on his nails.

"Carol…you said you saw me fall from the stern." He asked.

"Yes…" Carol nodded, facing him.

"How did I survive? I mean, I was unconscious. How did I reach the lifeboat?" His eyes stared at her intently.

"I swam to you." Carol said in a matter of fact manner, shrugging her shoulders.

"You…but…you could've died, Carol! You should've stayed in the raft!" His voice was a low growl. He was angry; He was angry at her for risking her life, angry at himself for failing to protect her.

"But I did save you, didn't I?" Carol replied calmly, resting her hand on his arm. "I couldn't leave you like that after you saved me." Daryl let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. This woman was…weird. How the hell did she manage to calm him down so fast?

"You weren't breathing and you were in the early stage of hypothermia." Carol paused for a moment, thinking about her next words. "And that's why we were like that in the morning." She gestured to their sleeping area.

Daryl could hardly believe his ears. How in the world did this tiny woman manage to swim all the way to him, drag his heavy body into the raft and bring him back to life? "Thank you…and sorry." Daryl murmured, looking away. He was not used to saying these words.

Sorry? For?" Carol tilted her head in confusion. "For what I said earlier." Carol squeezed his arm gently, reassuring him that it was alright.

The pair sat side by side as they watched the sun set. The calm waves shimmered in the orange glow, shining golden.

"It's beautiful." Carol whispered almost inaudibly, as though she was afraid her words would break the tranquility of the moment. "It is." Daryl whispered back, peeking at the woman. A small smile hung on her face her cheeks glowed radiantly in the setting sun. She closed her eyes, turning her face to the sky and took in a deep breath.

"Sophia loves the beach. She said she loves the smell of the sea." Carol uttered, eyes still close.

"Sophia?" Daryl asked, turning his head to face her.

"My daughter." Daryl's stomach dropped at her words, as he registered that she was married. Thoughts ran through his head. She was probably married to a rich, handsome son of a bitch, who owned a big company. They probably lived in a nice neighborhood, in a big house with a nicely mowed lawn. Daryl shook his head wildly, oddly angered by his imagination.

"Sophia wants to become a marine biologist, she loves the sea. You two would probably get along real well." Carol offered him a small, sad smile.

"I miss her." Carol finally admitted, burying her head between her knees.

"I'm just so fucking scared," Carol swallowed, looking at Daryl's disbelieving face. "I'm so scared that Ed will take her away." Carol's voice grew softer toward the end.

"Ed?" Daryl felt so completely helpless as he watched the woman sob in agony.

"My ex-husband." Carol took in a ragged breath. "I fought so hard for Sophia, you know? I fought so damn hard. He will hurt her, he will hurt my baby." Carol released a sob, wiping the tears from her eyes.

She lay down, staring up into the already dark sky.

"You see there," Daryl interrupted the lonesome silence, pointing to the sky. He lay down beside Carol, turning to her.

"That's Orion." He picked up her hand and held it gently, pointing at the constellation.

"And there, that's Hercules. And look, Canis the dog." Daryl held her hand and traced the outline of the constellations.

"Capricon's there, Chiron..mmhmm…ah…Pegasus." He sneaked a look at Carol. The woman was completely spellbound by the stars, her eyes bright with wonder.

"And finally, that's Perseus." Daryl released Carol's hand, placing it beside him, as he continued to speak. "They're all ancient heroes, immortalized in the sky. You don't gotta worry about Sophia, these stars, these warriors, they'll look after your daughter." He paused. "I'll make sure you get back to her. "

Carol's eyes sparkled in the moonlight, as she leaned down to give Daryl a peck on his cheek. "You're a good man, Daryl." Daryl shifted uncomfortably, no one had ever said that of him before.

"Daryl, what's your full name?" Carol asked, lying on her back once more.

"Daryl Mark Dixon. You?" Daryl placed his palms under his head, admiring the vast sky. Again, this woman surprised him; no one he knew had ever been interested in him or his name.

"Carol Anne Ryan." Carol whispered, it has been years she had introduced herself with her maiden name.

"Carol Anne." Daryl drawled, tasting her name on his lips. "Carol Anne." He liked her name, it fitted her well.

Carol felt a shiver pass through her spine, the way he said her name gave her goose bumps. "You cold?" Daryl asked immediately, his sharp eyes never missing any of her actions.

Carol shook her head and the pair turned to look at the starry sky. For the moment, nothing else in the world mattered.

**So that's chapter 6! I really liked it when Daryl talked about the stars and constellations. Tell me about your favorite scene! Once again, thank you for reading, do review to tell me how you felt about this chapter. **

**Until next time…**


	7. Chapter 7: All I needed was the rain

**Hey there beautiful readers, welcome to chapter 7! I am so so sorry for this really late update (almost a month!). I have been extremely busy in real life. However, I can assure all of you that I will stick with this story till the end and not leave it hanging. Please bear with me for this period because I have plenty of commitments at the moment. Sorry once again. Sit back and relax; I hope you will enjoy this chapter. Now, on to chapter 7…**

He knew that she was dying. He saw it in her sunken eyes; saw it in her movements, or the lack of it. He no longer dared to sleep at night, but she slept more than ever. With her gaunt face and hollow eyes, she could easily pass off as a corpse.

Subconsciously, he observed her silently, he became her protector; he had the irrational fear that if he took his eyes away for even a second, death would come and steal her away. Sometimes, her chest would not move for an awfully long time, and he would panic, bending over her lifeless body to search for a sign of life. Very often, she would gasp and gulp for air suddenly, almost scaring him, her bony arms reaching out to touch him. But she would collapse back quickly, as though that action had tired her, and she would slip back into her unnatural sleep.

She often woke up at the most ungodly hours, when all was dark and quiet and the only discernible sound was the crashing of waves.

"Daryl, Daryl…" she would mutter in her hoarse voice, reaching for him. He hated that, hated her unfaltering faith in him.

"Hold me, please. It's cold." She would say, with her clammy hands resting on his forearm. _Not only did she look like a corpse, she felt like one too._

He would pile jackets, sweaters and towels over her shivering form, before lying down beside her and wrapping his warm arms her. She would melt into him, letting out a shaky sigh. He hated how much she trusted him, but mostly, he hated how much he liked her in his arms.

She would often make small noises in her sleep and he would try to figure out the words she slurred.

"Ed, stop!" she would cry out often, clutching his arms that encircled her tiny waist.

He would pull her closer unconsciously, until her body relaxed and her mind moved on to other dreams. He wondered what her ex-husband did to her.

Sometimes, she would sigh out Sophia's name and on those nights, he knew she slept the best.

Sunrises and sunsets were no longer enchanting and beautiful to him. In fact, he dreaded them, hated seeing the passing of days. They had run out of water two days ago and there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky. He would give them three, no, two more days to live, if this continues. He was already beginning to feel the effects of dehydration and in a couple of days, they would be dead and she will never have the chance to see her daughter again. And it was his fault, all his big, fat fucking fault.

* * *

"It isn't your fault, you know?" Carol's voice broke through the silence of the night.

He froze, shocked at how she seemingly could read his mind.

"Lay with me, Daryl. The wind is so cold tonight." she croaked out, her throat absolutely dry.

He grabbed her cold hands, pulling her into his chest. She felt so small and frail in his arms, and it hurt so bad to see her like that.

"Ain't got any wind." He whispered truthfully, hugging her freezing frame.

"Tell me." She whispered back, burrowing her head into his neck.

"Hmmm?"

"The story of the stars." she answered, her breath tickling his collarbone softly.

And so he began, recounting the tales his late father used to tell him when he was young. He told her stories of hope and love and though he never did believe in them, he knew she held on to his words as though they were the gospel truth. _And he knew that the only fuel she was surviving on was hope. _

He ended his story and looked down at her.

"It will rain, Daryl. It will rain." Carol smiled, her chapped lips cracking painfully.

He simply nodded, looking away. He was suddenly angry at the unfairness of all of this, angry at the injustice done unto Carol. Damn, if anyone deserved a good life, it was this kind and gentle woman sleeping beside him. He wanted to shout at the heavens and tell god how much he hated him. He wanted to scream and rage.

Yet, for the first time in his life, Daryl Dixon prayed.

"God, if yer out there, save Carol and I will gladly burn in hell forever." Daryl paused mentally. "Please. She got a kid at home and she's a good person. Please, if yer out there, help her."

He paused for a moment, half expecting rain to start pelting down from the sky. He looked at the heavens, waiting for water to pour down.

"Fuck it. Ain't no god."

**So, that was chapter 7! Wow, I just realized my writing style has changed and I really hope you wouldn't mind it! Tell me how you feel about the change in style and what you think I can improve on. Also, I know that this chapter is so much darker than the previous one and I must apologize! Thank you for sticking with me and see you again soon.**

**Until next time…**

**Ps. the title of this chapter is from an Elvis Presley's song. Do check it out!**


	8. Chapter 8: Alive!

**Hey guys, I just saw the gifs on tumblr and I have so much uncontrollable feels, I really need to unleash all my emotions on you people. I know that the previous chapter was too short, please don't hate me! I am really really busy right now and I think I will only have time to write properly after November. Thank you for the support you have given me, please continue to review the story and tell me how you feel about it. I hope you will like this chapter, but if you feel that there's anything that can be improved, do tell me! Now, on to chapter 8….**

He heard it before he felt it, a rhythmic tapping echoing in the small space they tried to sleep in. He brushed it off at first, too tired to even care, until the instinctive side of him realized that something was not quite right. And then it started pelting on his face. Cold, sweet, fresh water hit his face and roused him from his fitful nap. He was still groggy and a headache was already busy pounding behind his left eyes, threatening to blind him. He extracted himself from Carol, all at once aware of how cold he felt without her by his side.

He shook his head quickly, ridding the last of sleep from his mind. He could not afford to screw this up. The rain could last from anything between ten to forty minutes and he could not bear the consequences of being careless about this. Carefully adjusting the water collector, he ensured the system was working smoothly. He estimated that they had already collected enough water to last another three days. At this rate, they would collect enough water for a week.

Fuck, a bolt of pain flashed through his head and he stumbled to the floor, stunned by the sudden, unexpected pain. It was dehydration; he recognized the signs first hand now. His aching, tortured muscles begged to rest; his body screamed at him to stop moving, but his mind urged him to continue. He clenched his teeth, pulling himself straight up.

He watched his hand shiver as he replaced the overflowing bottle with an empty bottle under the rushing water from the collector. He pressed the filled up bottle against his dry, bloody lips, forcing himself to take only a tiny sip. If he took too much water at one time, he ran the risk of choking or vomiting it all out. He felt the water touch his dry throat and it almost hurt to swallow. All this while, his eyes were fixed on Carol, checking to make sure that she was still breathing. He downed a quarter of the bottle before turning back to Carol.

"Carol?" he whispered, prodding her skinny arm gently.

The woman merely wrinkled her brows in response, too fatigued to even open her eyes. He carried her head up gently, letting her nape rest on his shoulders. Tilting her chin up, he slowly poured water into her mouth. She let out a low moan, hand reaching out to grasp the bottle.

"Slowly." He commanded, as though speaking to a toddler.

He counted to thirty before letting her take another small sip. This went on for almost an hour, as the rain slowly became a drizzle and the sky cleared.

* * *

"I told you, didn't I?" Carol teased, smiling despite her painful cracked lips.

She was sitting on Daryl's lap, resting her head on his broad chest. He merely let out a quick breath, too exhausted to even laugh. She chuckled breathily, placing her cold cheek over his heart.

"lub-dub, lub-dub…" his heart beat steadily in his chest. The sound of his heartbeat had become a constant for her during the last few days. Though she was hardly conscious during that time, the first sound she heard every time she woke up was the sound of his strong, steady heartbeat. She felt safe and warm in his embrace, and slowly, she grew to associate the sound with that, and she loved the sound. She sighed contently, hearing Daryl guzzle another sip of water.

He noticed an annoying stray strand of hair hanging in front of her eyes, and he swept it up, tucking it behind her ear. She grinned and looked up, and he could not take his eyes away from her for that moment. She was radiant, she was glowing, and she was fucking beautiful.

"Hmmm…can't take your eyes off me huh?" she asked, licking her lips as she took another sip of water. Daryl gulped, watching her bite her lower lips playfully. He looked away immediately, feeling his face turn bright red, but he knew she probably couldn't see it under all the grime.

"Stop." He barely managed to utter the word, suddenly hyperaware that she was sitting in his lap.

"Sorry pookie." She raised her eyebrows, smiling widely, trying to gauge his response.

He could not help but grin back in response, feeling a warm, fluttery feeling in the pits of his stomach.

"Pookie? Seriously?" he shook his head, stupid smile still stuck on his face.

"Why not? You're cute when you're worried, like a puppy. " She wiggled her eyebrows, knowing that it will push the shy man to his limits.

Daryl coughed out his water, cheeks burning.

Carol felt his heartbeat speed up, and she couldn't help but feel a little proud of her teasing. The big, strong man here was afraid of teases!

"Alright Daryl, I'll have mercy on you because I'm too tired." Carol paused, turning her body slightly to face him. "Thank you so much for the past few days, you're a good man. The best man I've ever met."

Daryl nodded sternly, only half-believing her words. If he was the best man she had ever met, then damn, the other men in her life must have been terrible.

"Tired? Do you want to lie down?" he asked carefully, spying the bags under her eyes.

She shook her head, reaching her thumb to rub his cheeks softly. "I'm serious, Daryl, you're the best person with the kindest soul I've ever met in my entire life."

Daryl placed his hand over her hand on his cheek. "Then I think you haven't met yourself yet."

**That was chapter 8! Oh gosh, I just wrote this at one go because I have too much happy feels in me right now. Do comment and tell me how you feel about it. I need to discuss with people about season 4. Alright, that is all for now, see you again soon!**

**Until next time…**


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